EP0830095A1

EP0830095A1 - Electrosurgical cutting and coagulation apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP0830095A1
Application number: EP96919948A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Garry Vincent Cobb
Original assignee: Nuvotek Ltd
Current assignee: Nuvotek Ltd
Priority date: 1995-05-31
Filing date: 1996-05-30
Publication date: 1998-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 2016-05-30
Also published as: EP0830095B1; WO1996038094A1; AU5841096A; US6010499A; DE69601539D1; DE69601539T2

Abstract

The apparatus and method of the current invention relate to electrosurgical work involving the forming of cuts in and coagulation of body tissue of a patient. The apparatus and method of the invention overcome disadvantages common with conventional dipolar and monopolar apparatus. In one aspect the invention provides a cutting tool or instrument with at least one cutting or coagulation tip and the tool is adapted to operate as both a power supply electrode to supply power to the tip and as a return electrode to allow impedance feedback signals to be received by a control means thereby eliminating the need for a separate second electrode and taking the patient out of the circuit received by a control means. According to a second aspect the feedback information is stored, processed and analysed in relation to pregrogrammed and previous actual feedback to allow alteration to the power supply to the tip to create optimum cutting and/or coagulating conditions.

Description

ELECTROSURGICAL CUTTING AND COAGULATION APPARATUS

The current invention relates to apparatus for use in the electrosurgical field and in particular in relation to the provision of apparatus for cutting body tissue and/or coagulation such as is required in, for example, endoscopic surgery which is increasingly common.

When using apparatus of this type to, for example, cut parenchymal organs the surgeon wishes to obtain efficient heamostasis either as a result of coagulation to a greater or lesser depth as the cut is being made or as a result o f partial coagulation of the bleeding vessels once the cut is completed. The efficiency with which the bleeding can be stopped depends upon the intensity of thermal coagulation; and the greater the depth of coagulation inside the tissue, the greater the heamostatic effect. At the same time however it must be ensured that no more tissue suffers thermal damage during cutting and coagulation than is absolutely necessary in order to obtain the desired effect as the damage caused is irreparable. This is an important consideration as increasingly, higher output currents are used to cut. As the higher currents and hence power is provided so the risk of electric current channelling along unseen or obscured body organs adjacent the cutting area is increased and can cause damage to vital anatomical structures and increase the risk of peripheral burns to the patient.

For many years work has been undertaken in an attempt to provide apparatus which allows accurate high powered cutting and coagulation of the body tissue and fluids and which has a minimum risk to the patient upon whom the surgery is^" performed and also to the surgeon and/or apparatus operator.

In general, when an electrode, which acts as a cutting tool, contacts body tissue an electric arc or spark is created which causes a zone of thermal necrosis to be created beneath and around the area of contact. As the current is applied it passes through individual cell membranes in the patient causing the same to be vapourised and the cut to be created.

One known group of apparatus type is known as monopolar apparatus which utilises an electrode which forms the cutting and coagulation tool and through which an alternating current of, for example, between 300 kHz and 1 mHz flows. When the electrode is held at a distance from the body no current flows and no cutting action occurs but as the electrode is brought closer to the body tissue a spark will jump across the gap to the tissue if, for example, the voltage is between 1000 to 10000 volts peak to peak.

This apparatus is provided with a separate return electrode which must have a sufficiently large area to minimise the heating effect caused by the current passing through the patient and prevent tissue surface burns. Typically therefore the return electrode is required to be in the form of a plate upon which the patient lies. These plates can be disposable but in any case are relatively expensive. Thus, in this type of apparatus, relatively high powered cutting currents can be obtained but there are inherent risks to the patient who does, in effect, form part of the electrical circuit and is therefore exposed, sometimes dangerously, to burns and tissue damage caused by contact with the plate. In an attempt to minimise the problem the resistance of the return electrode plate is monitored but this tends to be a reactive rather than a proactive monitoring technique which does not monitor the condition of the patient body tissue and therefore does not eliminate the risk to the patient. Thus the monopolar cutting system, although widely used, has many deficiencies which, if they are not to cause damage to the patient, are required to be carefully monitored with additional expensive apparatus.

An alternative group of apparatus is the bipolar cutting apparatus which utilises two electrodes which contact the tissue to be cut and coagulated in close proximity to each other. One electrode operates to supply power to cut and coagulate the tissue and the other acts as a return electrode with the current density on both electrodes being kept the same. In this apparatus it is not necessary to have a return or dispersive electrode in the form of a plate and therefore the patient is safer but known bipolar apparatus cannot generate sufficient power to allow fast, efficient high powered cutting such as that required for procedures such as Trans Urethral Resection of the Prostate in Urology and Transcervical Resection of the Endometrium in Gynaecological Surgery.

Thus the known apparatus systems have many disadvantages and further general disadvantages are that the systems can cause interference to other equipment in the theatre namely anaesthetic apparatus, video monitoring equipment, pacemakers fitted to patients and, due to the system operation, and the presence of currents through the body tissue non conductive cutting fluids are required to be used such as glycine which is toxic and, if absorbed in too great a quantity by the patient, can render them seriously ill or even kill them.

The aim of the current invention is to provide apparatus for the cutting and/or coagulation of body tissue and organs which can provide a controlled output power supply and with sufficient power to allow all required operations to be performed yet minimise the equipment required to be used.

The current invention, in a first aspect, provides apparatus for electrosurgical use to cut and/or coagulate body tissue, said apparatus comprising an electrical generator and control means connected to a tool selectively operable to provide cutting and/or coagulation via at least one tip formed at one end thereof and characterised in that the tool acts as an electrode for the supply of power to the cutting tip and a return electrode for the return of feedback impedance signals to the control means.

Typically upon the starting of the operation of the apparatus the same current waveform is provided along the power supply and feedback electrodes until the measured impedance alters at which stage the current supply flows down the tool along one electrode and the resistance feedback is carried on the return negative cycle along the feedback electrode to the control means. This arrangement ensures that the tissue under the influence of the tip is prevented from leaking to areas other than adjacent to the tip.

The power supply and feedback electrodes are provided as part of the tool and the control means is operated to switch resistance between the electrodes to allow power to be carried to the tool tip and impedance feedback to be received and measured by the control means.

Typically the current supplied is only exposed at the tip of the tool and therefore there is no risk of damage to tissue or organs with which any other part of the tool comes into contact.

In a further embodiment of the invention there is provided apparatus for performing electrosurgical work on a patient comprising an electrical generating unit connected to a tool for the cutting and/or coagulation of body tissue and characterised in that the apparatus includes a means for providing a feedback impedance signal to a control means from the tool tip and the body tissue adjacent the tip to allow the electrical impedance of the tissue at any instant to be monitored by the control means.

Typically the control means includes a means for receiving the phase angle impedance feedback from the tool and modular impedance feedback values from the body tissue, comparing and interpreting the same and adjusting the strength o f current and/or voltage transmitted along the tool to the tip according to the impedance values to alter the cutting power to ensure that the optimum cutting power is supplied at each instant. This ensures that the optimum cut and/or coagulation operations can be provided.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for use in electrosurgery, said apparatus including a tool having a tip at one end thereof, said tool acting as an electrode connected to an electrical supply generator; and control means and wherein the control means receives a constantly updated indication of the phase angle impedance at the point of the cutting tip of the tool and the modular impedance of the body tissue adjacent the point of cut.

The measuring and comparison of the phase angle and modular impedance as opposed to the phase angle impedance alone as in conventional apparatus allows the condition of the body tissue to be taken into account and a more accurate and representative signal to be provided to the control means.

Preferably the impedance feedback is returned to the control means via an electrode which can, in one embodiment, be separate from the tool or, in another embodiment, is returned using the tool. Where the tool acts as a supply and return electrode the positive waveform of the alternating current passing therethrough is used to supply power to the cutting tip and the negative waveform is used to carry the return feedback to the control means. This embodiment has the advantage of only requiring one tool to be held at the cutting point as opposed to the monopolar system where the cutting tool and a return plate under the patient is required and the bipolar system where two physically separate electrodes are required to be provided adjacent the point of cut.

Typically the apparatus control means includes means for receiving the feedback information, assessing the same relative to preceding feedback information received, comparing the information with preprogrammed information and, if required, altering the current and/or voltage supply values to alter the power supply to the tool tip.

Such alterations in feedback can be caused by the tip passing into or through the initial body surface, body tissue of different form and/or organs and the ability to sense this and alter the power output allows the cut to be achieved with a minimum of damage to the body tissue surrounding the cut area.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method for performing electrosurgical work and the control of the power supply to the cutting tip of said apparatus wherein the said method includes operating the apparatus, applying the cutting tip in position relative to the body tissue to commence the work, receiving feedback information from the cutting tip relating to the impedance value at or adjacent to the body tissue to a control means, assessing the information relative to preceding feedback information received, comparing the feed back information with preprogrammed information and, if required, altering the current and/or voltage supply values to alter the power supply to the tool tip, in line with the comparison results and repeating the process at stages throughout operation of the apparatus.

In a preferred embodiment the feedback values received are split into a series of sample blocks which are held in a memory of the control means and constantly updated as further feedback is received. Each of the sample blocks is preferably representative of a small time interval and a set number of blocks analysed in combination at any one time to ensure that short events such as, for example, short circuits do not have a dramatic or damaging effect on the power supply parameters. Furthermore the alteration in feedback values required to cause an adjustment in the power supplied is set such that relatively minor variations are "levelled out" and filtered from the results used and do not cause the power supply means to be continuously altered.

By utilising the sample blocks the trend of the feedback readings for the blocks which make up each sample can be averaged and, if the average value shows a trend which is significant in comparison with the preprogrammed information the output value control algorithm is adjusted accordingly and, as a result, the power output to the tip is adjusted. Typically the control analysis is performed using an adaptive intelligent algorithm which is provided in the software of the control means and this algorithm is developed with preprogrammed parameters from a tissue reactance database which indicates the expected Electrosurgical power, current voltage and tissue impedance values for specific types of tissue and electrosurgical operations and depending upon the settings selected by the apparatus user.

Preferably, and in order to prevent damaging alteration to the supply of power to the tip, limiting values can be set by the operator of the apparatus. Typically an upper limit is set above which the output power supply will not go even if instructed by the control means analysis.

A further feature of the control means of this type is that conventional monopolar and/or bipolar cutting tools can be used in conjunction with the control means and a specially designed, electrical cable and still achieve the advantageous control of the current and voltage parameters as described above.

A specific embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein;

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of the apparatus in one embodiment;

Figure 2 illustrates an example of the median filtering of feedback results;

Figure 3 illustrates an example of the post recursive filtering of feedback results;

Figure 4 illustrates an electrical circuit for the waveform generator of the invention in an illustrative form;

Figures 5 and 6 relate to the provision of fuzzy logic controllers (FLC) in the control means; and

Figure 7 relates to the provision of a fuzzy logic process or (FLP) in the control means.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 there is shown apparatus according to the invention, said apparatus comprising a tool 2 which is provided with a cutting tip 4 and selector buttons 5 for the selection of cutting or coagulating operations or both. The tool is supplied with power and the current is exposed only at the tip 4 and can be used to cut into and/or coagulate body tissue depending on the settings selected on the control means and electrical power generator 6. The tool 2 is connected to the control means 6 by an electrical cable 8 which allows power to be supplied to the tool 2 and feedback signals to be received back from the area adjacent the tool cutting tip 4 when in use. The tool is typically formed of any conducting material but preferably stainless steel or titanium. Typically, with the exception of the tip 4 the tool has an outer casing of insulating material.

The control means 6 includes a microprocessor which allows analysis of the feedback signals received from the tool 2 and this analysis allows the power supply to the tool 2 to be adjusted if required. The control means includes a series of selector buttons 10 on the facia which include the functions of the switching on/off of the device, the selection o f preprogrammed parameter selections from the memory, the selection of cut only, coagulate only or blended cut and coagulation operations and the auto or manual control of the same. In whichever mode, the power value to be supplied to the tool can be set by the person using the apparatus via a rotary control knob 12 which allows rapid selection of the power value, and, when selected, the value is set so that further unauthorised or accidental turning of the know cannot alter the setting.

A further feature is that the apparatus can be simultaneously used by more than one person using the independent outputs 14 provided.

Thus the cutting tool 2 according to the invention is provided to act as an electrode to allow power to be supplied to the tip 4 to allow cutting and/or coagulation to take place and is provided to act as a return electrode to allow return impedance feedback to be received by the control means and therefore allow only one tool to be used. The feedback received thus allows the operation of the control means as herein described. The provision of the microprocessor controlled control means ensues optimum supply of power to the tool 2 to allow the required operation to be performed with minimum damage to the surrounding body tissue.

The microprocessor software includes an adaptive algorithm therein which allows the correct and optimum power output characteristics to be provided to the tool 2 using a combination of a default coefficient and an adaptive coefficient developed from a body tissue reactance database which provides preprogrammed parameters for the power output from known results.

In use, the tissue impedance is calculated continuously using the default coefficient until 13 samples blocks, each containing a feedback value derived from results from the tool return electrode of modular and phase angle impedance and other parameters over a set time interval, are recorded in the memory. The preprogrammed algorithm power output values from the database are then compared to the results obtained using the sample block values and if the sample block values results are significantly different the initial power output values are compared again and if required the output power value to the tool tip is altered by altering the current and/or voltage. The algorithm is also adjusted to take into account these changes in parameters but it should be noted that the changes to the power output are limited by any limit settings which are input by the person using the apparatus.

A final step of the control means is to compare the output power values obtained from the adjusted algorithm to the values which would have been obtained from using the original or default algorithm. If the default equation would have provided better output values then this is again used for the next comparison with the next sample blocks.

To further improve the control means a median filtering system is used to prevent individual or freak feedback values from the return electrode from altering the power output value. This ensures that an average of values is provided for each set of sample blocks at any one instant and included in the algorithm. This process continues with the oldest sample block value being replaced by the newest sample block value, the average value recalculated, and so on. An illustration of this process is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 3 illustrates a further feature of the analysis process wherein post recursive filtering is used after the median filtering as this takes the median value of each parameter and inputs the same into the power output algorithm. The filter process acts to give a weighting to each median before entering it into the algorithm and this weighting is reduced as the time from occurence increases and therefore the most recent median value is given the heaviest weighting and thereafter decreases as the new median values are entered.

The filtering processes described above and illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 ensure that while the output setting is changed to suit the impedance values received from the tool and body tissue during the use of the tool 2, the changes are not dramatic changes and the power output does not alter to an extent and with a frequency that could cause damage to the patient and/or render the apparatus unusable.

Figure 4 illustrates in schematic form one embodiment of the electrical circuit of the waveform generator for the tool of the apparatus in an illustrative form only, but which is still part of the invention as claimed and wherein U l is an 8031 Microcontroller that receives a code from the main control circuit as to which code is to be generated. The code is latched from the database by the local D type latch U2 when the select line 103 is taken high and the write line pulsed low by the main control board. The microcontroller programme is held in the EPROM U3 which is interfaced to Ul by the octal D-type latch U4. The clock signal for U l is derived from an external clock circuit comprising XTAL1 , U9C and U9D. This clock determines the fundamental frequency of the output waveform and is also connected to the counter circuits that generate the push pull drive pulses. The clock runs at 8.8 Mhz and results in a basic waveform frequency of 367 kHz.

The controller not only controls the output waveform but checks the integrity of the data bus lines. It does this by waiting for a specific byte to be received from the data bus. Once received the data test line on PL1 /26AB is toggled to indicate to the main controller that it has been received. A succession of walking zero patterns are then sent by the main controller. As each pattern is received correctly PL26AB is toggled to indicate to the main controller to send the next byte. In this way all the eight data lines are checked to see that none are stuck high or low. Once the bus has been checked the main controller sends the pattern code. U l then waits for the enable line to go high before generating an output on pin 110. Should valid data not be received as expected the whole bus test process is begun again before any output is generated on pin 110.

The output from pin 110 together with a 4-bit code on pins 114-117 contain the information necessary to create the push pull, pulse width controlled pair of signals necessary to drive the output power transistors. These push pull drive signals could not be generated directly from U l because of the speed limitations of this particular microcontroller. Each rising or falling edge of the signal from pin 110 triggers a pair of push pull pulses generated by a logic controlled counter circuit. Pins 114-117 produce a 4-bit code that represents the pulse width of the push pull drive pulses. Counters U 12 and U l l produce pulses whose width is set by the 4-bit data from pins 114- 117 of Ul .

Counter U5 sets the delay between a pulse from U 12 beginning and a pulse from U l l beginning. U6 generates short pulses in response to the rising and falling edges on pin 110 necessary to load counters U 12 and U5. U 10 generates a short pulse after a delay generated by U5 necessary to load counter Ul l . U7a and U8a allow the enable and current limit signals to switch the pattern on and o ff by gating the load pulses to the counters. U7d together with U7c, U 14b, U 14c and U 14d ensures that under no circumstances can simultaneous drive pulses be delivered to the power transistors which could result in their destruction. In any case simultaneous pulses from the counter circuits would indicate a circuit malfunction.

U 16 is a MOSFET driver IC which produces the high current drive pulses for the output power transistors Ql and Q2.

A watchdog circuit looks for activity on pins 1 10 and 111 of U l . Loss of activity on both of these lines would indicate a problem with the execution of the microcontroller programme.

Should activity cease (ie toggling of either pin), C13, which is normally kept discharged by U 13c and D2 will charge up through R14 so allowing the simple oscillator formed by U 13d, C14 and R13 to operate. The toggling of the output of U13d results in a toggling of the microcontroller reset line on pin 109 of U l by U 14a. This will cause a restart of the microcontroller programme. The microcontroller will be held in the reset state should the power good line go low which indicates a problem with the power supply line. In order to allow the control means of the invention to be adaptive in terms of components which can be used as part o f the control system and to allow different components from different manufacturers with different specifications to be incorporated without affecting the performance of the control means, a primary and secondary Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC).

The primary FLC is largely devoted to creating and modifying the fuzzy control rules relating to the system performance, and the secondary, or adaptive FLC is provided to allow the primary fuzzy set, membership functions, and control rules; in general the control means, to be modified and adapted to meet the design requirements of the control means and to allow changes in components and/or systems used to be taken into account without affecting the performance of the apparatus for the user.

Thus the adaptive FLC is provided to provide any of, generate new fuzzy rules as required, modify existing fuzzy rules, modifying defined fuzzy data sets, adjusting the membership functions, adjusting the universe of discourse and adjusting the scaling factors or control resolutions. The adaptive FLC comprises of a performance measurement module at the top level, a supervising and tuning module at the top level and an FLC at the low level.

The kernel of the adaptive FLC is a supervising and tuning module which determines the required modifications or adjustments to the corresponding parameters, based on the system performance measures.

A number of performance measures have been used to determine the system performance, including the process error, the change error, the least square error [LSE] , the least mean square error [LMSE] , and the mean square error [MSE] , etc. [The LSE, LMSE and MSE algorithms are inherently heavy computationally] .

The adaptive FLC operates with universe of discourse tuning. This allows adaptive control o f the control means output parameters by using the variable universe of discourse approach. In this approach, the universe of discourse is widened or narrowed according to the performance measure, eg the magnitude of error, while the fuzzy control rules, once established remain unchanged.

The concept of this approach is an extension of the windowing technique of refining the fuzzy control rules in a prescribed region [or window] . In the specified window, the fuzzy control rule base is designed so that it corresponds to the finer fuzzy sets in a local universe of discourse and is treated as a subcontrol rule base. The subcontrol rule base will not be activated until the system reaches a state of close by control. As described with reference to Figures 5 and 6.

A number of factors have been considered during the FLC design using the windowing technique, these are;

1. Scaling factors, for the input/output variables.

2. The fuzzy sets defined for the input/output variables in the specific window.

3. The universe of discourse for the input/output variables in the specific window.

4. The subcontrol rules in the specified window.

5. The switching points between the window and global control.

When the subcontrol rule base in the window is the same as the global control rule base, variable universe of discourse are in effect being used since the fuzzy sets in the window base are defined in a different universe of discourse. Thus a different group of scaling factors [control resolution] for input/output variables can be expected.

The fuzzy tool [DCU programming language and compiler] has been used to acquire the fuzzy KB and to generate the fuzzy reasoning module which is used during the real time control stage of the QE2000 output parameters.

Furthermore, the control means includes a fuzzy logic processor (FLP) which operates in conjunction with the fuzzy logic controllers to provide the required operation of the system. The FLP is included using the PVCRI inference scheme for MAX-MIN fuzzy reasoning with inference control rules as follows;

IF X, _{is A}l l AND X_{2 A}21 THEN Y is B_t IF X_{1 1S A}12 AND X_{2 A}22 THEN Y is B₂

The X_{x and x}2 are the fuzzified input signals and Y is the output signal, and A _{and B}j are defined in their respective universe of discourse according to fuzzy logic rules. Each set is an array indexed by crisp value for each respective set according to cover complete universe of discourse rules. Any measured inputs will return a non¬ zero membership for a number of fuzzy sets. The functional architecture of the fuzzy inference mechanism is based on the illustration below. The MIN-MAX approach adopted allows binary level OR and AND gates to be realised.

Preferably a NEUROLOGIX; NLX230; FUZZY LOGIC ENGINE is used to implement a fuzzy KB memory, a fuzzy Inference Unit and a Controller. The fuzzy KB memory stores the fuzzy membership function and fuzzy rules in both RAM and ROM. Read Only Memory [ROM] from the Default Clinical Database. Random Access Memory [RAM] from the FLE and Adaptive Output parameter Filters [AOF] .

Two main factors represent the fuzzy logic KB memory. The first is the membership map MAP_SIZE. The second, the number of different levels the membership function takes, N_mem. The membership function value zero is represented as O, and the membership function value of 1 is represented by

(N_mern-1).

The fuzzy inference unit has been set-up to handle two operations - MIN for fuzzy intersection and MAX for fuzzy union as shown in Figure 7.

The inference subsystem incorporates fuzzy reference rules and the interface for inputs from the Main controller board, V/I Sense board, Pattern Generator and Output boards of the QE2000. To maintain flexibility rule memory is stores in ROM and RAM. Which board accesses ROM or RAM is controlled by a latch which is written to by the 8031 Main control unit. Using the RAM provides maximum flexibility in developing the fuzzy rule base in real time. The FLE is provided with input values from the default and adaptive input buffers.

Effectively the FLE appears to the control means 32 input/output addresses. A jumper on the board allows 16 - bit inputs and outputs to be selected, and this enabled for speed of processing. The addresses used are;

300H Address latch Written to by V/IB, MCB, W/OB

301H Data latch input/output

302H Control latch Written to by V/IB, MCB, W/OB Due to potential timing conflicts between the FLE, the KB memory, and the control means host system, and the need to allow both the FLE and the control means to act as bus masters on the KB memory bus, the interface contains a number of latches which are set up synchronously with respect to the FLE by the control means. The most important of these is the control latch, which can be used to halt the FLE and tri- state its output buffers on the KB memory. The control latch is also used to enable the other buffers which allow KB memory or the FLE interface bus to be connected to a satellite computer system via MODEM. The outputs of the control latch are used to provide overall control of the buffers and latches as follows;

In a normal operating mode the control means operates as follows wherein C_l = ) and C_2 = 1. This enables the buffers, and also Ul l 8 and U117 to connect the latches to the control means system interface bus, while disabling U 109, U l l O, U 113, and U 114 so that the latches are isolated from the KB RAM.

Control Functions Normal KB Read Write Latch mode update Output [FLE]

C_l mode 0 1 X X C_2 /Mode 1 0 X X C_3 Direction X X 1 0 C_4 /Direction X X 0 1 C_5 El on FLE X 1 101 * 1 C_6 E2 on FLE X 1 1 101* C_7 /CE on FLE 0 1 X X C 8 Data out X X 101 * 0 latch

C_9 /OE KB RAM 0 X 1 1

C_10 /WE KB RAM 1 X 1 0

* = the signal changes in order to latch data

X = do not care

While in this mode, the following Control_Latch values are unchanged:

C_l : = 0, C_2: = l ;Enable appropriate buffers C_7: = 0;/CE on so FLE System interface bus is working

C_9: = 0, C_10: = 1 ;0/E on and /WE off for KB RAM ;KB RAM is in'

The following Control_Latch values are set-up initially;

C_3 = 1 , C_4: = O; C_5 = 1 , C_6: = 1 ;E1 and E2 off C 8 = 0;Output latch not enabled

Data is written to shared RAM by the following;

Address_Latch: = desired address Data Latch = desired Data

C_3 = 0, C_4: = l ;Set buffer directions C 6 = 0;Toggle E2 to

C_6: = l ;Latch the data into the FLE

Read operation from the shared RAM by the following; Address Latch: = desired address

C_3 = 1 , C_4: = 0;Set buffer directions C_5 = 0;E1 , to output data C_8 = l ;Toggle output latch to C_8 = 0;Latch data into output latch C 5 = 1_.Switch off El

Pcvar: = Data_Latch;PC reads from data latch

In an update mode of operation

To read or write KB RAM from the PC, the buffers connecting the PC to the KB RAM are enabled and those connecting the FLE to the KB RAM and to the interface bus are disabled, by setting C_l : = 1 and C_2: = 0.

While in the KB RAM access mode, the following Control_Latch values are unchanged;

C_l = 0, C_2: = l ;Enable appropriate buffers C 5 = 1 , C_6: = 1 , C_7: = 1 ;/CE, El , E2 off so FLE interface bus is off

The following Control_Latch bus is set-up as:

C_9 = 1 , C_10: = 1;0/E and /WE off on KB RAM C_3 = 1 , C_4: = 0; C 8 = 0;output latch not enabled

The KB RAM write operation to write data to KB RAM involves the following steps;

Address Latch: = desired address Data_Latch: = desired Data

C_3: = 0, C_4: = l ;Set buffer directions

C_10: = 0;Toggle /WE to

C_10: = l ;Latch the data into KB RAM

The read operation involves the following steps;

Address Latch: = desired address

C_3 = 1 , C_4: = 0;Set buffer directions C_9 = 0;/OE on, to output data C_8 = l ;Toggle output latch to C 8 = 0;Latch data into output latch C_9: = l ;Switch off/OE Pcvar: = Data_Latch;PC reads from data latch

This decouples the PC data bus timing from the FLE system. The latches on the bus are fast enough to deal with the fastest systems currently available. Data is latched from the PC bus using a strobe [/IOW v /ADDRESS_DECODE] and output onto the PC bus using a strobe [/IOR v /ADDRESS_DECODE] where

ADDRESS_DECODE refers to the decoded address signal from U4.

No use is made of the /INT, /IDLE or /STAT outputs of the FLE. All data transfers to PC via Modem or direct take place when the FLE has halted following a completion of an inference cycle. As the /IDLE line is not used, whether the FLE is running or halted can only be determined by reading the Output Communication Register, which is at address 1 of shared RAM, and ensuring that at the end of inferencing, just before it hals, the FLE changes the contents of this address. By polling the OCR for this change, the PC can detect whether the FLE has halted.

The apparatus as herein described therefore represents a substantial step forward in the provision of electrosurgical apparatus and methods of monitoring the same. In a first aspect there is provided the apparatus, which can include the tool for cutting and coagulating having a power supply provided thereto and also acting as a return electrode to provide a return feedback to the control means thereby removing the patient from the electrical circuit and hence the discarding of the need for a separate return electrode such as for example the plate used in monopolar techniques, allows the risk of burns to areas of the patient to be eliminated. At the same time the possibility of occurence of capacitive coupling and/or leakage of current and interference with ancillary equipment such as cameras and ECG monitors is reduced.

In a second aspect there is provided a monitoring and analysis control means whereby the conditions of the tissue in which the tool is operating can be monitored by measuring the phase angle impedance and modular impedance via the feedback signal and, by the analysis methods described above, altering, if required, the power output sent to the tool which ensures that the optimum power is sent to the tool tip hence easing the job of the surgeon and at the same time minimising the damage to the tissue surrounding the area by ensuring that the power output is not excessive.

Further advantages which result from use of this apparatus in comparison with conventional techniques are that there is a minimised zone of thermal Necrosis and the depth of cutting and coagulations can be more accurately controlled irrespective of the electrode type, size and output power, due to the ability to monitor, compare feedback and adjust the power supply during the operation of the tool.

The system can be used with conductive fluids when operating in a fluid environment as the patient is removed from the electric circuit without risk to the patient thereby allowing less harmful fluids to be used and the running costs of the apparatus are substantially reduced over conventional apparatus and at substantially lower power than the monopolar systems while allowing the same operations to be performed thereby reducing the risk of burns to patients and, yet further, secondary muscle or nerve stimulation. Furthermore additional, expensive monitoring equipment is not required.

Claims

1. Apparatus for electrosurgical use to cut and/or coagulate body tissue, said apparatus comprising an electrical generator and control means connected to a tool selectively operable to provide cutting and/or coagulation via at least one tip formed at an end thereof and characterised in that the tool acts as an electrode for the supply of power to the tip and a return electrode for the return o f feedback impedance signals to the control means.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein upon commencing operation of the apparatus, the same current wave form is provided along the power supply and feedback electrodes until the measured impedance alters at which stage the current supply flows down one electrode and the resistance feedback is carried on the return negative cycle along the return electrode to the control means.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein with the power supply and return electrodes provided as part of the tool the control means is operated to switch resistance between the electrodes to allow power to be carried to the tip and impedance feedback to be received and measured by the control means.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the current supply to the tool is exposed at the tip.

5. Apparatus for electrosurgical use according to Claim 1 comprising an electricity generating unit connected to a tool for the cutting and/or coagulation of body tissue and characterised in that the apparatus includes a means for providing a feedback impedance signal from the tool tip and the body tissue adjacent the tip to a control means to allow the electrical impedance of the tissue at any instant to be monitored by the control means.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5 wherein the control means includes a means for receiving the phase angle impedance feedback from the tool and modular impedance feedback values from the body tissue, comparing and interpreting the same.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6 wherein the control means includes means for adjusting the strength of current and/or voltage transmitted to the tool tip according to the impedance values received to alter the cutting power.

8. Apparatus for use in electrosurgery, said apparatus including a tool having a cutting and/or coagulating tip at an end thereof, said tool adapted to act, in use, as an electrode connected to an electric supply generator and control means and characterised in that the control means receives a constantly updated indication of the phase angle impedance at the tip of the tool and the modular impedance of the body tissue adjacent the tip of the tool in use.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 8 wherein the control means includes means for adjusting the strength of current and/or voltage transmitted to the tool tip according to the impedance values received to alter the cutting power supplied.

10. Apparatus according to Claim 9 wherein the impedance feedback is returned to the control means via an electrode which is separate from the cutting tool.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 9 wherein the impedance feedback is returned to the control means via an electrode which is part of the cutting tool.

12. Apparatus according to Claim 11 wherein the tool acts as a supply and return electrode, the positive wave form of the alternating current passing therethrough is used to supply power to the cutting tip and the negative wave form is used to carry the return feedback signals to the control means.

13. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein conventional monopolar and/or bipolar tools are used in conjunction with the control means and electrical generating unit and an electrical cable connects the tools to the control means and electrical generating unit.

14. A method for performing electrosurgical work and the control of the power supply to the cutting tip of said apparatus wherein the said method includes operating the apparatus, applying the tool with cutting tip in position relative to the body tissue to commence the work, receiving the feedback information from the cutting tip relating to the impedance value at or adjacent to the body tissue; to a control means, assessing the information relative to preceeding feedback information received, comparing the feed back information with preprogrammed information and, if required, altering the current and/or voltage supply values to alter the power supply to the tool tip, in line with the comparison results and repeating the process at stages throughout operation of the apparatus.

15. A method according to Claim 14 wherein the feedback information received is allocated into a series of blocks, said blocks held in the memory of the control means and updated as further feedback information is received.

16. A method according to Claim 15 wherein each of the information blocks is preferably representative of a time interval and a set number of blocks are analysed in combination at any one time.

17. A method according to Claim 16 wherein new information is allocated to a new block and at the same time the oldest block of information is removed from the blocks of information to be assessed at that instant.